May 7, 2012. As of 4:30 p.m. on Monday, May 7, 5,997 people have voted (via one-stop and absentee ballots) so far, according to Jane Hodges, director of Watauga County Board of Elections. Election day for the primary is Tuesday, May 8, from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

According to Civitas Vote Tracker, Democrats account for 2,223 voters, compared to 1,949 unaffiliated, 1,755 Republicans and 42 Libertarians. Women have outvoted men with 3,328 votes compared to 2,594 males voting. Average age of voters is 46.

From previous article:

Two weeks ago, Jane Hodges, director of Watauga County Board of Elections, said that runoffs involving local candidates for county commissioner, sheriff, or in this case, school board receive a higher turnout. (View school board candidate profiles here.)

Also, the highly contentious Marriage Protection Amendment, which states that the only legal domestic union is between a man and a woman, has spurred interest in this year’s primary election.

“It has. We are amazed,” said Hodges last week. “People are strongly one way or the other.”